Electric kettles and fully manual plunger-type tea makers are well known. However, most electric kettle type appliances are only useful of bringing water to its boiling temperature and provide no user control over the brew process and no way for the user to adjust the ultimate temperature of the water processed by the kettle. This is particularly important in the area of tea making. Many teas develop their optimum flavour when made with water that is considerably below the boiling point. Different teas also have different requirements for brew time and it is well known that people's preferences for brew strength will vary.
The present invention seeks to provide a single device that is able to heat water to a variety of different temperatures, prompt the user to initiate a tea brewing operation when the water is at the correct temperature, prompt for the termination of the tea brewing process at the correct time and keep the water at the correct drinking temperature thereafter. An additional advantage of the invention is its simplicity and tidiness, in that the tea brewing process can be terminated without removing the tea from the appliance.